Turkish Seafarers Union indicate strike – update

As reported in Weekly NEWS No. 34/2007 of 24 August 2007, the Turkish Seafarers Union (TDS) has indicated it may resort to a strike over unsatisfactory wage negotiations.

The TDS has not set a date for the strike, although the negotiations between it and the Turkish Authorities, which have been ongoing since 1 January 2007, have now ceased.

According to current law, the TDS has the right to start the strike within 60 days of the announcement and is obliged to give six days' advance notice. However, if a strike were to take place, it would probably start very close to the end of the two-month period dating from 21 August 2007.

Over 700 pilots and related workers all around Turkey are TDS members, although any strike that might take place would only involve the MarmaraSea region including the TurkishStraits (the Bosporus and Dardanelles), ports in the Istanbul region and the port of Izmir.

It is expected that the Government might be in a position to postpone the strike or to reach an agreement.